Opportunities

Against a backdrop of deepening geopolitical tensions, heightened inflation and rising interest rates, First Sentier are hoping for smoother sailing this year. But with inflation on the rise the outlook is far from clear. The asset manager’s portfolio managers have listed 10 investment themes that will be on their watchlist for the remainder of the…

With the world stepping-up its efforts to decarbonise sooner rather than later, parts of the economy have been pushed into rapid transformation to become sustainable. The knock-on effect of Covid-19 and the Ukraine crisis has brought about supply chain disruptions and skyrocketing demand in the metals primarily used in electric vehicle batteries. And for those…

First, it was GameStop and the era of the ‘meme’ stocks. Then it was the Archegos hedge fund making massive bets on well-known technology companies. More recently, it was a massive spike in the price of Nickel. What all these events have in common was that they all involved a ‘short squeeze’. Short squeezes have…

ASX shares have been popular acquisition targets in recent times. Notable takeovers include Sydney Airport, Class Limited and Australian Pharmaceutical. Here are three more ASX shares with takeover potential. 1. Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1) Megaport provides Network-as-a-Service services to companies. It’s similar to Amazon Web Services or Microsoft Azure, except it’s a neutral provider. The business expects to be cash flow breakeven by the…

Blood diagnostic company Haemokinesis Limited is ASX-bound, with its $17 million share issue, at 20 cents a share, closing this Wednesday, with Haemokinesis expected to commence trading on the exchange on Friday, 8 April. When it hits the screens Haemokinesis will have a market capitalisation of $77 million. Haemokinesis – which means “moving blood with…

It could be a smart move to consider ASX blue chip shares during this period of intense volatility since the start of the year. Blue chips are typically ones that have strong positions in the market and can offer more reliability in times of economic difficulties. I’d only want to go for opportunities that are showing…

The pandemic combined with the invasion of Ukraine has sent global commodity markets into flux. Commodities ranging from grain to crude oil are surging to near-record levels with 2020’s demand weakness offset by 2022’s significant supply-chain issues. In an environment of growing volatility and inflation, investors are naturally seeking hedges for their portfolios with gold…

The price of nickel is going nuts, soaring past US$100,000 a tonne. The London Metal Exchange (LME) canceled nickel trading on Tuesday after an unprecedented 250% price rise was triggered by Western sanctions against Russia. The price surged to hit US$101,365 a tonne, the highest point ever seen on the LME. So, what’s going on?…

Confused about the Metaverse? Well, you’re not the only one. There’s been a lot of talk about the “Metaverse” after Mark Zuckerberg rebranded Facebook and named it Meta Platforms. It all started a few years ago when Zuckerberg bought a virtual reality (VR) company called Oculus, which manufactured VR headsets. With Oculus, you could put on…

Investors are piling into the safe-haven asset following the crisis in Ukraine. Dubbed the “currency of last resort,” gold is often seen as a safe-haven asset in times of market turmoil, because it retains its value during a time of crisis. Going back in history, gold has been considered a store of value for quite…

ASX dividend shares are an essential part of all income portfolios. Especially when the official cash rate is just 0.10%. After accounting for inflation, money kept in a bank account is earning a negative return. Here are three ASX dividend shares I’d add to any income portfolio. 1. Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) Despite rising competition from neobanks…

With interest rates forecast to rise as early as next month, January provided a rude awakening for equity market investors, after markets fell as investors headed for the door. Chief investment officer of Montgomery Investment Management, Roger Montgomery, says, “It’s good news for investors.” Rising inflation combined with weakening economic growth was enough to cause…